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Friday, 11 January 2013

The dead walk again... Eldar vs Imperial guard 1500 points

Eldar with dark eldar allies take on the imperial guard in this game
of the scourging, with hammer and anvil deployment. This is my first game with
my first revolutionary army list (I need to start giving my army lists names to
avoid confusion). So can eldar trickery overcome the tanks of the imperial
guard? Read on and find out...

The Armies

Let’s start with my current army list for those of you who haven’t
been reading the evolving list posts.

Eldar/Dark
Eldar 1501

Farseer - 100 (Warlord) w/ wraithguard
Runes of warding, Fortune

10 Wraithguard - 396
warlock, conceal

5 Rangers - 95

3 War Walkers - 180
Scatter lasers

2 War Walkers - 120
Scatter lasers

4 Dark reapers - 140

The Baron - 105 w/ Wraithguard

5 Warriors - 60
blaster

Venom - 65
2 x splinter cannon

5 Warriors - 60
blaster

Venom - 65
2 x splinter cannon

Ravager - 115
Night shield, 3 x dark lance

The basic
plan for my force is to attach the characters into the wraithguard and fortune
them up to keep them alive while the rest of the army should hopefully be able
to take the enemy apart. But we shall see.

Imperial
guard

Company
command (Warlord)

Straken,
flamer, regimental standard

Chimera

Multi laser,
heavy bolter

Platoon
command

Infantry
squad

Grenade
launcher, lascannon

Infantry
squad

Grenade
launcher, lascannon

Heavy
weapons squad

2 x
lascannon, autocannon

Veterans
squad

Harker,
heavy bolter

5 Storm
troopers

2 x plasma
guns

Chimera

Multi laser,
heavy bolter

Marbo

Hell hound

Leman russ
battle tank

Lascannon,
heavy bolter sponsons

Leman russ
executioner

Lascannon,
heavy bolter sponsons

Griffin

An interesting army for me to face, and its different to the imperial
guard army I am used to fighting. My other friend who has played IG for a while
likes to ram about 4 russes down my throat and veterans everywhere. So this
will be a change, especially with straken leading the way. If he’s surrounded
by the infantry I may be in a bit of a problem. But we will see.

The Mission

The battlefield

The mission was the scourging and we placed the objectives around the
table, on the imperial base, a crater, behind a wall, inside a ruin, on top of
a ruin and on top of the rocky hill. We got hammer and anvil for deployment and
the imperial guard won the roll to go first. So he deployed first setting up a
defensive line with the veterans at the front and centre, backed up by the
executioner. On the left flank he placed the other russ and hell hound with an
infantry squad at the back on the objective. The second infantry squad deploys
on the ground floor of the ruin on the right while the heavy weapon squad held
the objective on the top of the ruin. The griffin hid at the back.

Imperial guard deployment

I then deployed (a little poorly) with my wraithguard front and centre
behind a wall, with the baron at the front to hopefully take any plasma shots
with his shadow field. The dark reapers went at the top of the imperial base,
the ravager hid out of site as did the two venoms. I outflanked both units of
war walkers to hopefully do a lot of damage. The rangers infiltrate onto an
objective just ahead of my deployment zone.

Eldar deployment

Turning over the objectives, the 4 is with the dark reapers, my
rangers hold a 2, a 3 is held by the guard and a 1 was in the middle on the
ruin. The other 3 and 2 where the other two objectives.

Deployment

Night fight: Turn 1

Steal the initiative: No

Note: We forgot to roll for warlord traits... sorry guys.

The Battle

Imperial guard turn 1

With night fight in effect turn 1 I was a little relieved, it would
seriously reduce the amount of damage I would take. The rumble of engines could
be heard in the night as both the hell hound and the leman russ battle tank go
down my left flank towards my line. The rest of the army holds still aiming
into the darkness.

Roaring with its battle cannon, the russ targets the dark reapers
locking on but they are saved thanks to the cover save provided with shroud and
the fortification. Firing shells high into the air, the griffin kills a single
wraithguard from its barrage (just wait till I get fortune going) even with the
2+ cover save. The executioner vets its plasma at the wraithguard and I pass
the wounds off on the wraithguard (thanks look out sir) but two die (the rolls
aren’t going great). The rest of the shots either fail to hit or wound.

Eldar turn 1

I need to take advantage of the turn as I didn’t take much damage from
his shooting. I cast fortune on the wraithguard with the farseer then I move
the ravager towards the battle tank and I move both venoms forward. The
wraithguard then move forwards towards the enemy.

Shooting starts with the ravager targeting the battle tank, but I only
hit once and fail to penetrate the armour. Both venoms then unleash the 24
shots and kill 4 of the veterans in front of them. The wraithguard then run forward. The dark
reapers and rangers fail to do anything... thats a bad turn.

Imperial guard turn 2

Marbo doesn’t appear this turn. Again the battle tank and the hell
hound move towards my lines. The storm troopers jump out of their chimera and
move towards the wraithguard.

Starting with orders the company command yells at the veterans but
with a double 6, orders are over. Again unleashing its plasma over the
wraithguard but thanks to the shadow field and the re-roll from fortune, no
damage is taken. The battle tank shoots at the wraithguard but two wounds
manage to get past the cover save, killing two of the constructs. The squads
starting to thin out now. The hell hound then shoots at the wraithguard as
well, but I only take 1 wound... on the warlock. Damn that’s really bad now.
The heavy weapon team shoots at a venom and makes it blow up (First blood),
killing the 4 regular warriors. It was to be expected.

Eldar turn 2

Rolling for reserves I got both squads of war walkers in, outflanking
on different sides of the table, the two man squad on the right, and the three
man squad on the left. I cast fortune on the wraithguard again. Movement and
the ravager goes after the russ battle tank again while the wraithguard move
forward into the line of fire. The lone warrior from the exploded venom moves
to get in range of the hell hound.

Shooting from the ravager is less than impressive, only managing to
shake the russ. The warrior on his own and the warriors in the venom both shoot
at the hell hound but neither manage to penetrate the armour of the tank. The
war walkers that appeared on the right flank shoot at the heavy weapons team
killing all three. The war walkers on the left shoot at the storm troopers but
only kill 4, leaving the sergeant alive. Not cool.

Imperial guard turn 3

Marbo appears from reserve and is placed next to the wraithguard. Straken
decides to lead by example and get out of his chimera towards the war walkers.
The executioner, platoon command both move back away from the oncoming
wraithguard and the russ battle tank backs up against the table edge to avoid
getting shot in the rear.

Unleashing its torrent of fire,
the hell hound shoots at the dark reapers but fails to do any wounds. The
chimeras combine fire and manage to wreck two of the war walkers on the left
flank. With a very lucky shot, the lascannon from the infantry squad at the far
left of the table shoots down the ravager, making it explode. That was a bit of
a blow. Prepping his demo charge, Marbo throws it at the wraithguard, killing
3. The final kill of the shooting phase it by the griffin shooting and killing
2 rangers.

Trying to avenge his fallen comrades the storm trooper sergeant
charges the war walker but nothing happens. No wounds are caused so next turn.

Eldar turn 3

Again I fortune the wraithguard. The venom moves 6 to be inbetween
both the hell hound and the russ battle tank so I have options. The wraithguard
march on.

Starting with the dark reapers, they shoot at Marbo, killing him
before he can inflict any more damage. The lone warrior shoots at the hell
hound but fails to penetrate. The warrior in the venom follows suit a little
too much. The venom shoots at the last remaining veterans but they make their
cover saves. The war walkers on the right shoot at the infantry squad in front
of them killing 3. They hold.

Trying to finish the job, the war walkers charge the infantry squad,
killing 4 under their metal hooves but they hold. The war walker on the other
side of the table kills the storm trooper leaving it exposed. The final combat
of the round is the wraithguard charging into the veterans, managing to kill
them all before they take any damage. They consolidate behind the wall for a
cover save.

The Baron leads the charge

Imperial guard turn 4

The russ battle tank turn around to target the wraithguard while the
rest of the army moves away as far as possible from them.

Shooting starts with the griffin doing nothing to the wraithguard. The
executioner managed to kill a single model but the hell hound fares better
killing a wraithguard and wounding the farseer. To finish the shooting the
battle cannon is fired at the wraithguard killing off the remaining constructs,
leaving the two characters alone and exposed.

The infantry squad get a lucky grenade and wreck a walker while I kill
a single guardsman. The combat goes on.

Eldar turn 4

The farseer fortunes himself and goes after the hell hound. The baron
brakes off and goes after straken himself, might as well try to get a kill
point for the warlord. As the end of game is close, the lone warrior runs back
to try and claim the 4 point objective next turn. The lone war walker moves
towards the russ battle tank, I will try and kick it to death. The venom drives
close to let the blaster do its work first if it can.

Shooting into its rear armour the dark reapers manage to get a
penetrating hit on the hell hound and immobilise it. The blaster on the venom
shoots at the chimera close to it and it explodes it. (I changed my mind at the
last second).

Laughing with dark glee, the baron charges into straken where he is
met with a challenge, which he happily accepts. The combat goes on but neither
side does any damage. The war walker charging the russ does nothing. And the
war walker fighting the infantry does nothing either. Luckily the farseer
managed to rip off the flame cannon off the hell hound. Better than nothing.

Imperial guard turn 5

With the wraithguard gone, the russ battle tank targets the venom
instead. The platoon command moves towards the single walker on the left as
does the executioner. The remaining infantry squad move to the aid of straken.

Targeting the lone warrior, the griffin snipes him, no objective for
me I guess. The russ hits the venom with its battle cannon and a snap firing
lascannon. The battle cannon is stopped but the lascannon immobilises it. The
executioner wrecks the war walker on the left. The remaining chimera shoots at
the farseer reducing him to a single wound.

Combat and the infantry squad charge into the baron trying to aid
straken. But even with his re-rolls nothing happens. Do I decide to be tricky
here and hit and run towards the board edge. I make it but I roll too far and
it would take me off the table. We aren’t 100% sure what this means and roll,
1-3 he stays on an inch away, 4-6 he runs off. He runs off. We looked but
couldn’t find any official ruling on this? What do you guys think? The war
walker kills the remaining infantry squad and moves towards the griffin. As the
farseer is still next to the hell hound he goes to town on it, wrecking it.
Well done old man.

Eldar turn 5

The farseer fortunes himself and hides behind the hell hound
wreckage. The warriors jump out of the
venom wreckage and are forced to move towards the 1 point objective.

Shooting from the war walker wrecks the griffin, glancing its side
armour several times, while the warriors run for the objective.

We roll to see if the game carries on...

Imperial guard turn 6

With the baron now gone, the infantry squad get back on the objective,
spoiling my chances of winning. The chimera moves to be able to target the war
walker.

Unloading its plasma, the executioner brings down the farseer giving
away another point. The infantry squad shoot at the venom but this time thanks
to the flicker field, nothing happens. Straken shoots at the warriors on the
objective but I go to ground and only lose 1 model. The battle tank shoots at
them as well killing the two models on the ground floor.

The platoon command desperate for glory charge the war walker glancing
t, reducing t to 1 hull point but the walker crushes a member of the squad under
its cloven hoof.

Eldar turn 6

The only thing that happens this turn is the war walker kills two
guardsmen and wins combat, cutting the rest down. Nothing else can do anything
worth noting.

And does the game carry on?

Imperial guard turn 7

Nothing happens, every shot misses or rolls a 1 to wound. I felt
really bad for him this round but it gives me a glimmer of hope of getting a
draw.

Eldar turn 7

I don’t get a draw. The venom and war walker shoot at the infantry
squad, killing 6 out of 10, but they hold. And the game ends.

So this new list faced the imperial guard and lost. The wave of Eldar
broke upon the rocks of the Imperium and it all went to pot. But I like the
list, I feel it has a lot more potential than the previous lists. It uses a
wraithguard deathstar unit (Wraithstar) to weather the storm and deal damage to
key units. I miss-played the army this time round. That's obvious and I will
try this again to see what happens. So what have I learnt?

·Wraithguard: Very hard to kill, it takes a lot of
shots to bring it down but it will go down if you let the enemy have their way
with it. Next game I will try to reduce the amount of fire it takes so it can
stay a real threat while taking away a small amount of fire power.

·The Baron: He is a lot more expensive than the
haemonculus and the succubus. But he was a lot more useful. He adds so much
more than just combat potential, he adds to the unit he joins and the army as a
whole. Thanks guys for suggesting I use him.

·Rangers: Still disappoint me, they never do
anything great, just do a single wound every other game. I used to love these
guys, but they are just sucking right now. I know it’s not them, just what has
happened in the game. Maybe swap them for a small unit of guardian jetbikes? How
would that work? Objective grabber instead of doing nothing at all.

·Venoms: I like the number of shots, they will be
tried again. I’m sure they have a lot more use.

·Dark Reapers: The aspect warriors are expensive,
but they have potential. Should I try them again?

And that's it for this battle report. What do you think I can do to
improve this army list?

10 comments:

Dark reapers do better Vs 3+ saves for the points so depends if you want to have some warp spiders to potentially swap about depending on opponent as the spiders are better vs light vehicles and for manoeuvrability. Other options include using the spiders to engage stuff that’s a threat to the wraithguard unit then Hit and Run at the end of your opponents turn and move onto the next target inline while the wraithguard mop up. 4 dark reapers would get you 6 warp spiders, if you can find the points elsewhere for an exarch you’re laughing.Both elder players are finding similar results with rangers, I would love to see how jetbikes preform as there speed (can they still move in the assault phase if not charging?) def makes them a tasty unit.Wraithguard are tough as nails but struggle with only having range 12. Still I’ve lost a Scythed hierodule to wraithguard shooting but tend to be able to get something choppy into combat with them before they get much chance for a round of shooting.Lastly with the warwalkers my friends have a lot of success with scatter laser/shuriken cannon and guide from the Farsear 21 rerolled St6 shots for the unit of three as opposed to 12. The warwalkers can use the wraithguard for cover in the early stages while you’re still using run moves.

I think you had some bad luck in the early round with wraithguard armor saves. I am surprised you lost so many so quickly. You did remember the Baron grants Stealth so they have a 4+ Cover right?

During your Round 3, could your Wraithguard have gotten in range of the Hellhound? You said it had shot you, so I figured you get get a couple shots off on it with the Wraithguard. Those guys can hurt sine their flame ignores cover and is AP 3.

i like that you Outflanked the Walkers, i think that is best when going against an army like Guard where they have tons of shooting to rain down on you. Can you grab another Scatter Laser one or are you limited to 5? if you have another Walker, you can get 3 with ShuriCannons for 120 (which I personally like more.

I dont like the Reapers. I think they are only good in a Marine killing capacity. I like the suggestion from Dan about Warp Spiders. You can get 5, and Exarch with 2 Spinners for 127. If you are worried about troops, you could drop them for another Guardian squad so you have 2 10 man squads in your backfield shooting Scatter Lasers.

Rangers are limiting. Since you have had so much bad luck with them, switch them out for 10 Guardians with a Scatter Laser platform. atleast then, you have 10 bodies, a weapon that is multi-purpose.

The Wraithguard take some time to learn how to use and position, so don't worry about that. I would also make sure your Venoms skirt around on the edge of their own shooting. if you intend on shooting the Blaster at a tank, do it from 18'' range, not 4-5''. if your going to shoot at infantry, there is nothign wrong with stayng at 24'' and just shooting the rifles. dont get greedy, and live to fight another day!

If the small unit of bikes doesn't work i will re-shuffle my points and see if i can get that small unit of guardians in.

With the war walkers, i didn't really have much choice. I would have prefaired to keep them on the table to maybe pop a chimera or two but they would have just got obliterated.

I could have got to taken a few shots at the hell hound turn 3 but i though getting my wraithguard closer to the enamy was more important. It might have been the wrong choice. But the hell hound didn't do a great amount of damage, just irritating that it killed my warlock.

I tried the bikes and I dont really like them. On paper they seem to be a unit that can reach out and grab an objective 48'' away. But many factors coem into play for that to work.

For starters, you wantthem out til Turn 4, otherwise they are basically 3 marines on the field and can easily be destroyed.

Say you keep them out until Turn 4. They still sit there for a turn and either be shot at during your opponents Turn 4 or their Turn 5.

If they survive, you have to play like the game will end on Turn 5 so you Turbo Boost them. If your opponent has their Turn 5, they shoot them and kill the 3 bikes or force a morale (at LD 8).

If the game ends... YAY!

If the game doesnt end, theyre dead.

Also, they have no combat ability. Pretty much 3 Tl-Bolters with 12'' range.

I think the easiest and best switch would be the Guardians as they will survive with numbers (10) and can do something with their "Bolters" and Scatter Laser. Even reserving them could be an option. They can backfield score while your entire army moves to take forward objectives.

Sorry for the rant, I have just been burned by Bikes over and over and over again. They seemed so good on paper, but in practice they never delivered.

On the Hit and Run question...I think this would be covered in the Movement rules (pg 10 BRB) quoting "Models cannot, however, voluntarily move off the board"

Since Hit and Run is a voluntary movement form and there is no rule to overwrite this (like Flyer Movement rules that allow them to move off the board) this would appear to say he would hit the board edge and stop.